Member Articles

Ambition dwindles

A Speak Your Mind essay

Have you become less ambitious about your personal or career goals since having kids?

I have always been the student to get the best grades, the one expected to go the farthest in life, the one EVERYONE knew would go off to college and get a great job. Here I am. I am 22 years old, graduated from college and have been working for a big name company designing power plants. I own my own home and newer car. I don't rely on my parents to give me a dime. I love knowing that I do make an impact on the outside world, and I love getting to meet new people and learn all of these new things that come with my job. I especially enjoy the pay raises and bonuses, BUT I'd so much rather spend my day chasing after my daughter and teaching her about this world she has been delivered into.

Before the thoughts of having children came into my mind, I always wanted to run my own group of drafters. I wanted to teach them the shortcuts and show them how truley amazing it is to put something from your mind into a working 3d world on the computer screen. My baby is 9 months old now. Everyday it gets harder and harder to leave her with Grandma and go off to work. My heart crumbles when she cries because I have to leave, all the while telling myself 'we need the money, you have to go to work'.

Today, my ambitions and goals are to move to a better school district and I aspire to be a stay-at-home-mom. Who would've thought, that perfect student, teacher's favorite type of person would rather stay home and change diapers all day than have this huge, successful career?